Life preserver and swimming-aid device



1944- v E. EASTMAN 2,355,060

LIFE-PRESERVER AND SWIMMING AID DEVICE Filed Dec. 26, 1942 INVENTOR ELWELL EAfiTMflN BY v- ATTRNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1944 LIFE PRESERVER AND SWIMMING-AID DEVICE Elwell Eastman, Portland, ,Oreg.

Application December 26, 1942, Serial No. 470,203

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in lifepreservers and swimming aid devices, and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this character which is of simple, efficient, durable, and inexpensive construction and wherein the floats, or buoyant members thereof, are made entirely of plastic material in contrast to buoyant members heretofore made for this purpose out of cork, kapok, and the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the buoyant elements thereof are of such shape that they conform snugly and comfortably to the body of the wearer, and in such a manner that no crotch straps are needed.

The foregoing and other objects will be apparent as my invention is more fully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates a life-preserver made in accordance with my invention and attached to the body of a wearer.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the life-preserver'is an open position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the buoyant elements taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawmg:

As illustrated in Figure 2, the invention comprises a plurality of hollow, buoyant floats indicated at I, 2, 3, and 4, preferably four in number and diametrically opposed to each other, as shown in Figure 1. The device may be attached to the body of the wearer in such manner that there will be one buoyant member on each side, one in the front and one in the rear. Each float made of plastic material is of hollow construction having inner, outer, bottom and top walls. The outer wall is of convex formation and the inner wall is concave to fit the contour of the body of the wearer. The top wall of each float is inclined downwardly and outwardly away from the innerwall, as at 5, to flt comfortably beneath the armpits of the wearer, or between the arms and body of --the wearer. The floats are attached in spaced relation to each other by means of straps 6 and 1 secured, respectively, to the upper and lower extremities of the exterior surface of the inner wall of each float. The ends of the straps 6 and 1 may be secured together by any approved form of buckles or fastening elements, as at 8.

To the upper strap 6, I secure shoulder straps 9 and In, each provided with any approved form of fastening elements such as buckles or the like, as indicated at H and I2. I

Due to the light weight construction and snug and comfortable manner in which the device clings to the body of the wearer it is readily' adaptable for use as an aid in swimming or for swimming instructions as well as use as a lifepreserver.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A life preserver comprising a plurality of hollow buoyant floats made of plastic material and each having a top wall, bottom wall, a concave inner wall, anda convex outer wall, said topwall being inclined downwardly and outwardly away from the inner wall, said floats being attached to each other in spaced relation by straps secured to the upper and lower extremities of the exterior surface of the inner wall of each float the wearer. I

ELWELL EASTMAN. 

